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Martin County, Florida
]] , built in 1937]] , built in 1925]] Martin County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 126,731. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county is 138,660. Its county seat is Stuart, Florida. History Martin County was created in 1925 with the northern portion coming from St. Lucie County and southern portion coming from Palm Beach County. It was named for John W. Martin, Governor of Florida from 1925 to 1929. Geography According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of , of which (or 73.81%) is land and (or 26.19%) is water, much of it in the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Okeechobee. Martin County is part of the Port St. Lucie Metropolitan Statistical Area. Major highways * Interstate 95 * U.S. Highway 1 * U.S. Highway 98 * U.S. Highway 441 * Florida State Road 76 * Florida State Road 714 * Florida State Road 710 * Florida State Road 732 * Florida State Road A1A * Florida State Road 707 * Florida's Turnpike Adjacent counties *St. Lucie County, Florida - north *Palm Beach County, Florida - south *Hendry County, Florida - southwest (only point of contiguity is in the center of Lake Okeechobee) *Glades County, Florida - southwest (only point of contiguity is in the center of Lake Okeechobee) *Okeechobee County, Florida - northwest National protected area * Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 126,731 people, 55,288 households, and 36,213 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 65,471 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 89.88% White, 5.27% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 2.72% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. 7.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2000 there were 55,288 households out of which 21.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.00% were married couples living together, 7.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.50% were non-families. 29.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.71. In the county the population was spread out with 18.60% under the age of 18, 5.30% from 18 to 24, 22.90% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 28.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males. The median income for a household in the county was $43,083, and the median income for a family was $53,244. Males had a median income of $36,133 versus $27,000 for females. The per capita income for the county was $29,584. About 5.60% of families and 8.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.80% of those under age 18 and 5.20% of those age 65 or over. Government Martin County is a non-chartered county and its form of government is prescribed by the Florida Constitution and Florida Statutes, as follows: Board of County Commissioners off Savanna Road in Jensen Beach. April 2010. Typical of such trees blooming throughout Martin county in the spring]] The Board of County Commissioners is the legislative body of the county and has charge of all county executive and administrative functions, except those assigned by the Constitution to independent county officers or to the independent school district. The board also has some quasi-judicial functions. Some of functions exercised by the board are county-wide, while others are applicable only in the unincorporated areas of the county, where the board has many of the functions of a municipality. The county commissioners are elected by county-wide vote, but each one represents a specific district. The board appoints the county administrator who is responsible to it for the day-to-day operations of the county government. The current county commissioners by district number are: *1. Doug Smith, Chair *2. Ed Fielding *3. Patrick Hayes *4. Sarah Heard *5. Ed Ciampi, Vice Chair Constitutional Officers The elected Constitutional Officers are: * Clerk (Clerk of Courts, County Clerk, etc.): Marsha Ewing * Property Appraiser: Laurel Kelly * Sheriff: Robert Crowder * Supervisor of Elections: Vicki Davis * Tax Collector: Ruth Pietruszewski School District The independent Martin County School District has an elected Superintendent of Schools and elected School Board, as follows: * The Superintendent, Nancy Kline ®, is the chief administrator of the district. * The School Board is the legislative body of the district and also exercises quasi-judicial powers. School Board members are elected county wide but each one represents a specific district. The current board members by district are: **1. Lorie Shekailo **2. Sue Hershey **3. Laurie Gaylord, Chair **4. Maura Barry-Sorenson **5. Dr. David Anderson Cities, towns and other places Incorporated # Town of Jupiter Island # Town of Ocean Breeze Park # Town of Sewall's Point # City of Stuart Unincorporated *Hobe Sound *Hutchinson Island part *Indiantown *Jensen Beach *North River Shores *Palm City *Port Salerno *Rio *Port Mayaca Attractions at Possum Long, September, 1992]] * Audubon of Martin County: Possum Long Nature Center, Palm Beach Road, StuartAudubon of Martin County: Possum Long Nature Center * Elliott Museum on Hutchinson Island * Jonathan Dickinson State Park in South Martin County * Martin County Fair held every February. * Martin County Public Beaches: **Hobe Sound Public Beach on Jupiter Island **Jensen Sea Turtle Beach, Stuart Beach and many beach strips on Hutchinson Island. * Savannas Preserve State Park (extends into St. Lucie County) * St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park on Long Island east of Port Salerno and north of Jupiter Island Historic areas On the National Register of Historic Places: * Hobe Sound ** Olympia School, 1925 ** Trapper Nelson Zoo Historic District, located south of Hobe Sound is inside Jonathan Dickinson State Park in southern Martin County, 1933 * Hutchinson Island ** House of Refuge at Gilbert's Bar, 1876 ** Georges Valentine Shipwreck Site, 1904 * Indiantown ** Seminole Inn, 1926 * Jensen Beach ** Mount Elizabeth Archeological Site, prehistoric ** Stuart Welcome Arch, 1926 ** Tuckahoe, 1938 * Jupiter Island ** Gate House, 1927 * Stuart ** Burn Brae Plantation-Krueger House, 1894 ** Lyric Theatre, 1927 ** Old Martin County Courthouse, 1937 Other historic areas listed in 1989 by the Florida Chapter of the American Institute of Architects:A Guide to Florida's Historic Architecture, 1989, Gainesville: University of Florida Press, p. 137, ISBN 0-8130-0941-3 * All Saints Episcopal Church, Waveland (Jensen Beach, Florida), 2377 N.E. Patrician Street, 1898, * Bay Tree Lodge (Kiplinger House), 143 S. River Road (originally 104 S. Sewall's Point Road), Sewall's Point, 1909 * Dudley-Bessey House, 110 S.W. Atlanta Avenue, Stuart, 1909 * Dyer Homestead, 1006 S.W. St. Lucie Crescent, Stuart, 1904 * Feroe Building, 73 S.W. Flagler Avenue, corner of St. Lucie, Stuart, 1913 * France Apartments, 524 St. Lucie Crescent, Stuart, 1927 * Golden Gate Building, 3225 S.E. Dixie Highway in Golden Gate south of Stuart, 1925 * Kitching House, 210 S.W. Atlanta Avenue, Stuart, 1894 * Stuart Feed Store, 101 S.W. Flagler Avenue, Stuart, 1905 * Sunrise Inn, S.E. Old St. Lucie Boulevard, Port Sewall. ca. 1925 (demolished) * John E. Taylor House, 204 S.E. Atlanta Avenue, Stuart, 1914 See also * National Register of Historic Places listings in Martin County, Florida References External links Governmental *Board of County Commissioners **Martin County Board of County Commissioners official website **Martin County Fire Rescue Division **Martin County Library System *Constitutional officers of Martin County **Martin County Clerk **Martin County Supervisor of Elections ** Martin County Property Appraiser ** Martin County Sheriff ** Martin County Tax Collector *School district ** Martin County School District *Multi-county Districts **Indian River Community College **South Florida Water Management District **Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council *Judicial branch **Martin County Clerk of Courts **Public Defender, 19th Judicial Circuit of Florida **State Attorney, 19th Judicial Circuit of Florida **Circuit and County Court, 19th Judicial Circuit of Florida Non-governmental *Martin Memorial Health System (Hospitals) *Stuart-Martin County Chamber of Commerce Category:Counties of Florida Category:Martin County, Florida Category:established in 1925 Category:Port St. Lucie metropolitan area